1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to flatbed scanning systems and more particularly relates to a flatbed scanner comprising a frame transparent scanner and a cradle, wherein the frame transparent scanner permits users to exam scanning objects directly before a scanning operation starts.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many applications that need optical scanners to convert paper-based objects, such as texts and graphics, to an electronic format that can be subsequently analyzed, distributed and archived. One of the most popular optical scanners is flatbed scanners that convert objects, including pictures and papers, to images that can be used, for example, for building Web pages and optical character recognition. The optical scanners are sometimes referred to as image scanners as the output thereof is generally in digital images.
FIG. 1 demonstrates a flatbed scanner 100. Similar to a copy machine, flatbed scanner 100 includes a cover or lid 102 and a glass panel 103. Generally a scanning document 108 must be placed on glass panel 103 and faced down with lid 102 closed, so that an image sensing mechanism or imager in compartment 104 can properly scan scanning document 108.
Flatbed scanner 100 is suitable for many applications, however, it demonstrates many inconveniences in some daily applications. For example, it is difficult to scan pages of a thick book using flatbed scanner 100, in which lid 102 becomes awkward to use because it can be hardly closed due to the thickness of the book. If lid 102 does not cover a scanning page properly, a resultant image thereof would have undesirable artifacts. Further, flatbed scanner 100 does not permit a user to project in advance what a resultant image could be until the image is actually generated. For example, the user wants to scan a scanning object at a desired angle. With the requirement of having a scanning object faced down and lid 102 covered, there is no convenient way for the user to see and align the scanning document properly before examining the resultant images from repeated trials. Furthermore, the operational concept of flatbed scanner 100 is somehow derived from a copy machine in which front illumination is provided, the reflectance from the scanning document is captured therefrom to generate an image. It is, therefore, sometimes difficult to use flatbed scanner 100 to scan a transparent or negative object such as X-ray films, mylar films for overhead projectors or films for CAD and photography.
A regular flatbed scanner becomes an important input interface to a host computer and is needed for many regular tasks in offices and homes. But it is not always acceptable to have two types of scanners. Thus there is a great need for a new scanner that can perform what a regular flatbed scanner does but also provide means to overcome the above listed problems with the flatbed scanner. In addition, there is another need for a new scanner that is really lightweight and portable so that a user can carry it around, for example, in library to scan pages from a reference book.